African American Families in the Media

Today, we are very dependent on various forms of media. Many people read newspapers, listen to the radio, and watch TV every day. We use it to learn about current events or for entertainment, but how do the images we see affect us subconsciously? When we have no experience with certain kinds of people, we look to the media to understand what they are like. When we see groups repeatedly presented in the same way in the media, it's easy to believe that they are true representations. What sort of images is the media showing us of African American families?


I asked some friends what they thought some stereotypes of African American families were. Some of their responses were that stereotypically, black families are often lower to middle class, “ghetto”, have lots of children, or differ from the traditional family (usually in the absence of the father). Where do these stereotypes come from? Since these things do not describe many of the black families I know, I am led to believe that what we see in the media really does influence us. We see examples of these types of families all the time in the media. The media also produces some positive images of black families, however.


One of the first things that come to mind when thinking of black families on TV is the Cosby's. When the show started, programs focusing on African Americans were rare. They feared that it would not be well received, but it turned out to be very popular. Some suggest that it was so successful because it focused on universal family issues, things that everyone could identify with, instead of really delving into their African American culture. The Cosby Show presents a typical family: a mom, a dad, 3 daughters, and 1 son. This was a very positive image of the African American family and defied many of the stereotypes of African Americans. This is an older show of course, but I think it is still applicable because it is a program that my generation is very familiar with, and reruns still come on TV all the time.


Another obvious positive representation of the African American family is the Obama’s. The Obama’s are going to be in the public eye constantly over the next few years. As a result, they will be very helpful in debunking stereotypes and showing America that perhaps the African American family doesn’t always differ from the traditional family image. They are a very polished, intelligent family, and definitely a great representation.


One of my favorite representations of the African American family is in the MTV show Run’s House. Since it is reality TV, viewers get the sense that we are seeing them as they really are, or more so than in sitcoms at least. This is also a positive image. The Simmons' are a close-knit family, they work hard to achieve their goals, they are religious, and they have a lot of money.


I decided to focus on these positive images because it was harder than I anticipated to find 7 different images of African American families from different forms of media. Earlier today I scanned through all 76 channels on my TV and the only black family I came across was on BET. They were showing reruns of Smart Guy (which is also a positive image). This really made me think about why we see so many more white people on TV than other races. I’m not sure what the answer is, but it did make me wonder.


The 3 images I mentioned are all well-known positive representations. Nothing in particular came to mind when I thought of negative images. I think this is because while negative images are shown in the media, they are not focal points in TV shows like the positive images are, so we aren’t as familiar with them. I would guess that the news contributes a lot to the negative stereotypes, while we are more likely to see a positive image in entertainment television (excluding the Obama’s).

I think it’s interesting to think about how the media stereotypes we are inundated with affect us subconsciously. I would like to believe that I am not very affected by the stereotypes I see. I try to be aware that much of what we see in the media is not a true representation and to keep an open mind when I meet different kinds of people. Often when I meet different kinds of people that I have never been around before, I find myself thinking about each of the stereotypes they defy. That’s why I love meeting and getting to know new people, that’s the only way to really understand them.